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Obsession
The authors of Journey into Darkness probes the minds of both the hunter and the hunted in this powerful exploration of human behavior. With a deep sense of compassion for the victims and an uncanny understanding of the perpetrators, Douglas exposes the chilling obsessions that compel the murderers, rapists, and stalkers.
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First published February 1, 1998
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About the author
John E. Douglas
34 books2,944 followersJohn Edward Douglas is a former United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent, one of the first criminal profilers, and criminal psychology author. He also wrote four horror novels in the mid 1990s. -Wikipedia
During his twenty-five year career with the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit, a name he later changed to The Investigative Science Unit (Douglas & Olshaker, 1995), John Douglas became the leading expert on criminal personality profiling and the pioneer of modern criminal investigative analysis. Through his research with serial criminal’s, Douglas learned how criminals think and what makes them do the things that they do, and why. Douglas can determine many personal traits and habits of an offender just by examining the crime scene; it’s evidence and victimology (Douglas & Olshaker, 1995). Interviews John Douglas has conducted hundreds of interviews with some of the world’s most notorious serial offenders, which include: - Charles Manson, and three members of the Manson clan. - Sirhan Sirhan, the assassin of Robert F. Kennedy. - John Wayne Gacy, the serial killer that killed 33 people. - David Berkowitz, the “Son of Sam”. - James Earl Ray, assassin of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. - Ted Bundy - Unsuccessful assassins of Gerald Ford and George Wallace (Douglas & Olshaker, 1995). Captured In addition, Douglas’s profiles aided in numerous arrests of serial offenders, some of which include: - Wayne Williams, the .22 caliber killer. - Carlton Gary, the stalking strangler. - Robert Hanson, the Anchorage Alaska baker who would kidnap, hunt, then kill local prostitutes. These are just a few of the cases that John Douglas aided in throughout his twenty-five year career as a profiler with the Behavioral Science Unit, which he later renamed the Investigative Science Unit (Douglas & Olshaker, 1995). Contributions to Psychology Douglas and his colleagues outlined in an article that explained the goals of a serial offender in the September 1980 issue of the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin. They are as follows: - What leads a person to become a sexual offender and what are the early warning signals? - What serves to encourage or to inhibit the commission of his offense? - What types of responses or coping strategies, by an intended victim are successful with what type of sexual offender in avoiding victimization, and - What are the implications for his dangerousness, prognosis, disposition and mode of treatment (Douglas & Olshaker, 1995)?
During his twenty-five year career with the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit, a name he later changed to The Investigative Science Unit (Douglas & Olshaker, 1995), John Douglas became the leading expert on criminal personality profiling and the pioneer of modern criminal investigative analysis. Through his research with serial criminal’s, Douglas learned how criminals think and what makes them do the things that they do, and why. Douglas can determine many personal traits and habits of an offender just by examining the crime scene; it’s evidence and victimology (Douglas & Olshaker, 1995). Interviews John Douglas has conducted hundreds of interviews with some of the world’s most notorious serial offenders, which include: - Charles Manson, and three members of the Manson clan. - Sirhan Sirhan, the assassin of Robert F. Kennedy. - John Wayne Gacy, the serial killer that killed 33 people. - David Berkowitz, the “Son of Sam”. - James Earl Ray, assassin of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. - Ted Bundy - Unsuccessful assassins of Gerald Ford and George Wallace (Douglas & Olshaker, 1995). Captured In addition, Douglas’s profiles aided in numerous arrests of serial offenders, some of which include: - Wayne Williams, the .22 caliber killer. - Carlton Gary, the stalking strangler. - Robert Hanson, the Anchorage Alaska baker who would kidnap, hunt, then kill local prostitutes. These are just a few of the cases that John Douglas aided in throughout his twenty-five year career as a profiler with the Behavioral Science Unit, which he later renamed the Investigative Science Unit (Douglas & Olshaker, 1995). Contributions to Psychology Douglas and his colleagues outlined in an article that explained the goals of a serial offender in the September 1980 issue of the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin. They are as follows: - What leads a person to become a sexual offender and what are the early warning signals? - What serves to encourage or to inhibit the commission of his offense? - What types of responses or coping strategies, by an intended victim are successful with what type of sexual offender in avoiding victimization, and - What are the implications for his dangerousness, prognosis, disposition and mode of treatment (Douglas & Olshaker, 1995)?
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 174 reviews
March 16, 2023
Not as good as Mindhunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit, still prefer Roy Hazelwood (Dark Dreams: A Legendary FBI Profiler Examines Homicide and the Criminal Mind is fantastic) but must give Douglas respect for his work on having stalking taken seriously and as a precursor to more serious crimes. Maybe it was my edition that was part fossilised or this book is in need of an update as the first chapter is about the BTK killer who, Douglas laments, is yet to be identified. Not a riveting or particularly illuminating read, just a reinforcement of my wish to be reincarnated as John Douglas.
November 11, 2024
Ta książka ma swoje dobre momenty, gdy szokuje i wiele możemy z niej wyciągnąć, ale nie ukrywam, że czasem donosiłam wrażenie, że nie wszystkie z rozdziałów w ogóle są na temat. Być może były to moje wyobrażenia o niej, z którymi się rozminęłam, ale spodziewałam się, że całość będzie wyłącznie o profilowaniu i działaniu drapieżców seksualnych, tymczasem dużo tam o przekonaniach samego autora, cierpieniu rodzin i ich walce z tragedią - i o ile jest to ważne, nie wiem czy jest na to miejsce w takiej książce.
May 30, 2010
Anyone who's followed my reviews for any length of time knows that I'm a big John Douglas fan, and that I'm steadily working my way through all his books. I enjoyed this about as much as I've enjoyed the others, although I think that The Cases That Haunt Us is still my favorite. This book had more practical application and advice for victims and people seeking to avoid being victims, so in that sense it's a little different from the others, but he illustrates his points with appropriately hair-raising and horrifying stories.
Part of what has always bothered me about his books, even to an extent about this one, is the "So what?" factor, or maybe it's more appropriately called the "What now?" factor. Really, what do we do with sex offenders or child molesters or rapists? Do we lock someone up indefinitely because of what they might do? Or do we keep them locked up forever after the first offense? As Douglas asks, what is the acceptable failure right if we don't keep someone locked up, and they kill or rape again? Are we a country that sticks someone in a dungeon for the rest of their life at the first opportunity? Or are we a country that lets people that WE KNOW will rape, molest, stalk or kill again back out on the streets for new victims? Douglas doesn't answer the questions because there are no real answers, sadly, and any blanket decision you make is going to be the wrong one at least some of the time, and what price then?
Also, as someone who's been stalked twice, I can say with absolute authority that his comments on how to deal with stalkers and what life is like for the victim, and how difficult it is to get any kind of assistance, are 100% accurate.
Part of what has always bothered me about his books, even to an extent about this one, is the "So what?" factor, or maybe it's more appropriately called the "What now?" factor. Really, what do we do with sex offenders or child molesters or rapists? Do we lock someone up indefinitely because of what they might do? Or do we keep them locked up forever after the first offense? As Douglas asks, what is the acceptable failure right if we don't keep someone locked up, and they kill or rape again? Are we a country that sticks someone in a dungeon for the rest of their life at the first opportunity? Or are we a country that lets people that WE KNOW will rape, molest, stalk or kill again back out on the streets for new victims? Douglas doesn't answer the questions because there are no real answers, sadly, and any blanket decision you make is going to be the wrong one at least some of the time, and what price then?
Also, as someone who's been stalked twice, I can say with absolute authority that his comments on how to deal with stalkers and what life is like for the victim, and how difficult it is to get any kind of assistance, are 100% accurate.
August 6, 2011
"Obsession" is the fourth book I've read from the John Douglas/Mark Olshaker partnership and I'm definitely grown less impressed. It's been several years since I read "The Cases That Haunt Us" (actually the next book in the series after "Obsession") and I'm beginning to wonder what I saw in them. While I recall the first two as quite compelling, "Obsession" feels like is treading some very old ground, indeed. The chapter where Douglas re-hashes the three serial offenders who were combined to form Thomas' Harris' "Hannibal Lecter" character seems particularly tired and repetitive.
There's no question that Douglas possesses an amazing understanding of the crimes and criminals which most captivate our collective psyche, but there really are only just so many times you can go over that type of carnage and depravity in the same half-clinical, half- tough guy voice and still be interesting. Absent a particularly compelling reason, I don't see myself picking up another one of his offerings any time soon.
There's no question that Douglas possesses an amazing understanding of the crimes and criminals which most captivate our collective psyche, but there really are only just so many times you can go over that type of carnage and depravity in the same half-clinical, half- tough guy voice and still be interesting. Absent a particularly compelling reason, I don't see myself picking up another one of his offerings any time soon.
February 12, 2009
Excellent, moving, and both disturbing and inspirational. Dr. Douglas, with his co-author, presents articulate, organized accounts of a variety of crimes that were based on some form of obsession, either with a particular person - stalking - or with a type of victim and fantasy. He describes the offenders, but focuses more on the victims and their families, showing the impact of the crimes. The book's last section is a primer on how people can make themselves safer and a plea for the justice system to do a better job, once a person is identified as an ongoing threat to others, to protect society by keeping them contained either in prison or in psychiatric facilities as appropriate.
After my own experiences working with a number of similar offenders in a prison psychiatric hospital, and after seeing the impact of stalking and sexual assault on two family members (who, thankfully, survived those traumatic encounters), I can't agree strongly enough. There are some people who have clearly shown that they just can't be safely turned loose in society, and we have a responsibility to protect people from them. I saw some inmates like this committed to the state psychiatric hospital when their sentences ended, but at least one other very dangerous man was paroled despite all the warning signs being clear.
After my own experiences working with a number of similar offenders in a prison psychiatric hospital, and after seeing the impact of stalking and sexual assault on two family members (who, thankfully, survived those traumatic encounters), I can't agree strongly enough. There are some people who have clearly shown that they just can't be safely turned loose in society, and we have a responsibility to protect people from them. I saw some inmates like this committed to the state psychiatric hospital when their sentences ended, but at least one other very dangerous man was paroled despite all the warning signs being clear.
August 1, 2009
To live in a state of fear, according to retired FBI profiler and author John Douglas, is to live with a sense of heightened awareness. Although, he goes on to say, victims of such crimes of stalking did nothing to deserve their perpetual state of terror. But living with a moderate dose of common sense fear is a precursor to living a safer life because that is the way our world and justice system does (or maybe doesn't) work.
"There is no conflict between civil liberties and victim's rights," he writes. And yet, a crime victim can realistically expect to have his or her image mud-raked by the defence while not having the same "luxury" themselves (on fear of having a case thrown out due to mistrial, or perhaps appealed on those very grounds). Douglas presents various examples from real-life in which it is the accused (and, oft-times, previously convicted felon) whose rights seem to supercede the wounded party.
Douglas makes it clear through his writing that victims cannot always rely on the good sense of law enforcement - in fact, he attributes the syndrome of repeat offenders to the lenience of the American court system and the lack of expedient capital punishment. Victims also cannot dependently judge a person by using the same set of socially-set values that they themselves live by - a stalker, or serial rapist or murderer, or spousal abuser, etc. has a particular obsession that does not abide by any logical standard or legislation. A protective order, while a positive step toward self-protection from a potential attacker, is essentially just a scrap of notarized paper which may even exacerbate feelings of hostility in said victimizer.
And so, Douglas devotes the bulk of Obsession to detailing the basics of self-protection through personality profiling. If a person can only fully depend on their own wits, then best to begin the needed education to fulfill this skill. Though a rape, or attack, or even murder is never the fault of the victim (a point which Douglas makes extremely clear, in so many words), it is every person's responsibility to learn how to best prevent such an attack.
Through tragic anecdotal (and much-publicized cases), Douglas delves into the particulars of a variety of situations, using such tactics to startle a reader into seeing how the criminal mind can work. Each case is different, he says, and deserves individualized attention - but the ultimate goal is to have a library of essential knowledge in one's head which could ultimately protect one's well-being. And the well-being of loved ones.
Certainly, Obsession relies heavily on shock value. The stories given within are genuine articles which have appeared in newspapers all across the country (with the occasional change in details to protect privacy, in certain cases). And the level of detail spares little from the more sensitive reader. However, such examples are necessary (Douglas feels) in order to fully illustrate his points, and to give some level of credibility to his views and suggestions. He was directly involved in many of these cases, and therefore has brought away something which he wishes to share with the rest of the public.
Though arguments can be made against several of his points in this book (particularly his less-than-optimistic view with regards to criminal rehabilitation), Douglas himself presents decisive and pointed evidence to back up his views and concerns. It is a book written with both real-life experience as well as factual evidence - and that alone helps to make his points that much stronger.
"There is no conflict between civil liberties and victim's rights," he writes. And yet, a crime victim can realistically expect to have his or her image mud-raked by the defence while not having the same "luxury" themselves (on fear of having a case thrown out due to mistrial, or perhaps appealed on those very grounds). Douglas presents various examples from real-life in which it is the accused (and, oft-times, previously convicted felon) whose rights seem to supercede the wounded party.
Douglas makes it clear through his writing that victims cannot always rely on the good sense of law enforcement - in fact, he attributes the syndrome of repeat offenders to the lenience of the American court system and the lack of expedient capital punishment. Victims also cannot dependently judge a person by using the same set of socially-set values that they themselves live by - a stalker, or serial rapist or murderer, or spousal abuser, etc. has a particular obsession that does not abide by any logical standard or legislation. A protective order, while a positive step toward self-protection from a potential attacker, is essentially just a scrap of notarized paper which may even exacerbate feelings of hostility in said victimizer.
And so, Douglas devotes the bulk of Obsession to detailing the basics of self-protection through personality profiling. If a person can only fully depend on their own wits, then best to begin the needed education to fulfill this skill. Though a rape, or attack, or even murder is never the fault of the victim (a point which Douglas makes extremely clear, in so many words), it is every person's responsibility to learn how to best prevent such an attack.
Through tragic anecdotal (and much-publicized cases), Douglas delves into the particulars of a variety of situations, using such tactics to startle a reader into seeing how the criminal mind can work. Each case is different, he says, and deserves individualized attention - but the ultimate goal is to have a library of essential knowledge in one's head which could ultimately protect one's well-being. And the well-being of loved ones.
Certainly, Obsession relies heavily on shock value. The stories given within are genuine articles which have appeared in newspapers all across the country (with the occasional change in details to protect privacy, in certain cases). And the level of detail spares little from the more sensitive reader. However, such examples are necessary (Douglas feels) in order to fully illustrate his points, and to give some level of credibility to his views and suggestions. He was directly involved in many of these cases, and therefore has brought away something which he wishes to share with the rest of the public.
Though arguments can be made against several of his points in this book (particularly his less-than-optimistic view with regards to criminal rehabilitation), Douglas himself presents decisive and pointed evidence to back up his views and concerns. It is a book written with both real-life experience as well as factual evidence - and that alone helps to make his points that much stronger.
August 26, 2019
"Obsession" is a rather thematic addition to John Edward Douglas professional experience memoir.
As the title suggests, primary focused on crimes related to sexual predators, stalking and thematic related kills.
I get the point that the authors / publishers wanted to bring on thematic novels out of what the original "Mindhunter" was, but it felt more like warmed over stories. Not enough new information for a book and a lot of repeats. Actually, only the "stalkers" part was new to be observed, but only the scientific and legal matters of the crimes was significantly reviewed. It felt more of an artificial composure of already prepared material for other books and for me it failed the initial idea to deepen our knowledge into the subject by sharing the extraordinary experience of the FBI agent. May be it would go smooth in the light of the #metoo campaigns, and public talk on the matter of sexual assaults. May be aspiring for the silent victims of such crimes. Still I can not find the particular necessity to bring up this novel, once you have the rest with similar content, but better narrated.
Note that most of the (probably all) cases examined could be (and actually are) disturbing, so - reader discretion is advised. These are true stories, which you could be familiar with from TV series, news reports, articles, etc.
Would not recommend it if you have already read any of the first 2 books. If you haven't - I recommend reading them instead. And this one - only in a case you are particularly interested in the thematic, or just a huge "profiler" fan who wants more reading material on the subject, even thou it could be repetitive in large sections.
P.S. All "Mindhunter" books I find suitable for audio format perception, as it is a narration of a memoir type and it is recorded by the author itself.
As the title suggests, primary focused on crimes related to sexual predators, stalking and thematic related kills.
I get the point that the authors / publishers wanted to bring on thematic novels out of what the original "Mindhunter" was, but it felt more like warmed over stories. Not enough new information for a book and a lot of repeats. Actually, only the "stalkers" part was new to be observed, but only the scientific and legal matters of the crimes was significantly reviewed. It felt more of an artificial composure of already prepared material for other books and for me it failed the initial idea to deepen our knowledge into the subject by sharing the extraordinary experience of the FBI agent. May be it would go smooth in the light of the #metoo campaigns, and public talk on the matter of sexual assaults. May be aspiring for the silent victims of such crimes. Still I can not find the particular necessity to bring up this novel, once you have the rest with similar content, but better narrated.
Note that most of the (probably all) cases examined could be (and actually are) disturbing, so - reader discretion is advised. These are true stories, which you could be familiar with from TV series, news reports, articles, etc.
Would not recommend it if you have already read any of the first 2 books. If you haven't - I recommend reading them instead. And this one - only in a case you are particularly interested in the thematic, or just a huge "profiler" fan who wants more reading material on the subject, even thou it could be repetitive in large sections.
P.S. All "Mindhunter" books I find suitable for audio format perception, as it is a narration of a memoir type and it is recorded by the author itself.
November 2, 2020
I’ve read this author’s other books and think this is his best and most disturbing but important one. If some of the cases in this book don’t make you angry, then you must have been skimming. I found the concentration on the aftermath for the friends and families of murder victims to be especially interesting and poignant- from support groups through to their experiences with law and court system.
What I liked best about this book was the authors no nonsense approach and solid bullshit detector. He tells it like it is, presents solid arguments and does not pull his punches.
What I liked best about this book was the authors no nonsense approach and solid bullshit detector. He tells it like it is, presents solid arguments and does not pull his punches.
April 23, 2024
This is my second book I’ve read written by John Douglas, and even though the material content is heavy, I enjoy is writing style and the way he delivers the information. Some of the terminology is outdated given it was published in 1998, but overall great book!
May 30, 2024
4.5 Stars
Damn this was so intense! But also so so important. It touched on so many important topics and how to keep yourself safe. There were so many examples of killers, stalkers, and rapists. The stories are terrifying. But it’s still important to know about all of these things. They take us through how to avoid being victimized (as much as we can) and the effect these things have on victim. I also really loved that they didn’t just talk about the crimes but also the reasoning these people did what they did. I sped through the first half and enjoyed it more. The second half felt a bit more wrap up. Although very dark and hard to read at times, this book was fascinating and I think an important read.
Damn this was so intense! But also so so important. It touched on so many important topics and how to keep yourself safe. There were so many examples of killers, stalkers, and rapists. The stories are terrifying. But it’s still important to know about all of these things. They take us through how to avoid being victimized (as much as we can) and the effect these things have on victim. I also really loved that they didn’t just talk about the crimes but also the reasoning these people did what they did. I sped through the first half and enjoyed it more. The second half felt a bit more wrap up. Although very dark and hard to read at times, this book was fascinating and I think an important read.
November 5, 2022
If you’ve read one, you’ve them all. I believe this is one of John Douglas’s earlier books. I have read quite of few of his now, Mindhunter being the first which got me hooked. But these high publicity cases often pop up in his books and the repetition does grow tired as I don’t wish to continually read about the same cases.
February 6, 2021
*4.5/5*
*9.0/10*
God, I love John Douglas.
*9.0/10*
God, I love John Douglas.
May 11, 2020
One of the last Douglas and Olshaker FBI profiling books I had left to read, but this was probably the least interesting one for me for the majority of the book minus a few interesting cases at the end. It mostly covered crimes involving stalkers and other unhealthy obsessions. There were some informative chapters about how to avoid becoming a victim and recognising when someone’s behaviour isn’t quite right, and particular cases that have lead to changes in laws over the years. Some of the stalking cases were very scary.
September 28, 2017
John Douglas is easily my favorite nonfiction writer. His books are always entertaining and informative, and Obsession, which focuses on sexual offenses spanning from rape to stalking, was no exception.
Obsession tackles the various psychological elements of sexual predators, from their rough backgrounds to deep-seated insecurity issues. Douglas illustrates the various components of what contributes to the creation of a violent sexual offender, and gives examples of some of these offenders potential styles of behavior, using in-depth, specific, real-life examples. He chronicles the process of criminal devolution with various serial rapists, explaining how and why the offenders were caught, often as a result of their own sloppiness as their cockiness progressed.
Douglas also dedicated a fascinating chapter on stalking, giving particular attention to the case of Laura Black being stalked by a coworker as an example. He emphasized the subtle, less well known emotions that victims of these crimes go through--he took time to explain why Laura was right to feel harassed when her stalker consistently brought her baked goods, even though at a first glance, those around her and the general public would be tempted to call this type of persistent predator "sweet."
And that's another thing that makes Douglas so fascinating to read. He presents the reader with tremendously difficult, heavy subject matter and approaches it with incredible sensitivity, compassion, and professionalism. He often dedicates whole chapters towards particularly heart-wrenching cases, with a focus on exactly who these bright young victims were, and how well loved they were and how much potential for good they had in the world. In Obsession, he chronicles 8 year old Destiny Souza and 19 year old Stephanie Schmidt. By introducing the reader to these cases, Douglas is also able to discuss the monumental efforts their families have gone through in creating and advocating for victims rights, a topic he spent considerable time on compared to previous books and was informative and delightful to read about.
Like many Douglas books, he spends a fair amount of time encouraging readers to stay safe, how to help others, and how to get involved in preventing future crime, as well as making practical, informed suggestions on how individuals, communities, and the government at large may enact meaningful change. An eye-opening and fascinating section of this book highlighted just how much is wrong with our justice system that many members of the public, myself included, didn't realize.
Douglas is hard and stern on the people who perpetrate these crimes, and its wonderful to see. He is coming from a place of knowledge and experience, and his stances on things such as criminal rehabilitation and the death penalty are refreshing and informative to read.
Obsession is unique in that it has a chapter dedicated to the three composite characters that inspired Buffalo Bill in Thomas Harris' Silence of the Lambs. John Douglas is often fictionalized, most notably as Jack Crawford in Harris' Hannibal Lecter books, so it was interesting to see his take on the villain his fictional team was up against. Moreover, the profiles he did on Ed Gein, Ted Bundy, and Gary Heidnik were downright chilling.
John Douglas' books are fantastic because they don't read like nonfiction; they pull the reader in. After, the reader is left feeling educated, informed, and entertained. And Douglas always seems to end on a note of hope.
Obsession tackles the various psychological elements of sexual predators, from their rough backgrounds to deep-seated insecurity issues. Douglas illustrates the various components of what contributes to the creation of a violent sexual offender, and gives examples of some of these offenders potential styles of behavior, using in-depth, specific, real-life examples. He chronicles the process of criminal devolution with various serial rapists, explaining how and why the offenders were caught, often as a result of their own sloppiness as their cockiness progressed.
Douglas also dedicated a fascinating chapter on stalking, giving particular attention to the case of Laura Black being stalked by a coworker as an example. He emphasized the subtle, less well known emotions that victims of these crimes go through--he took time to explain why Laura was right to feel harassed when her stalker consistently brought her baked goods, even though at a first glance, those around her and the general public would be tempted to call this type of persistent predator "sweet."
And that's another thing that makes Douglas so fascinating to read. He presents the reader with tremendously difficult, heavy subject matter and approaches it with incredible sensitivity, compassion, and professionalism. He often dedicates whole chapters towards particularly heart-wrenching cases, with a focus on exactly who these bright young victims were, and how well loved they were and how much potential for good they had in the world. In Obsession, he chronicles 8 year old Destiny Souza and 19 year old Stephanie Schmidt. By introducing the reader to these cases, Douglas is also able to discuss the monumental efforts their families have gone through in creating and advocating for victims rights, a topic he spent considerable time on compared to previous books and was informative and delightful to read about.
Like many Douglas books, he spends a fair amount of time encouraging readers to stay safe, how to help others, and how to get involved in preventing future crime, as well as making practical, informed suggestions on how individuals, communities, and the government at large may enact meaningful change. An eye-opening and fascinating section of this book highlighted just how much is wrong with our justice system that many members of the public, myself included, didn't realize.
Douglas is hard and stern on the people who perpetrate these crimes, and its wonderful to see. He is coming from a place of knowledge and experience, and his stances on things such as criminal rehabilitation and the death penalty are refreshing and informative to read.
Obsession is unique in that it has a chapter dedicated to the three composite characters that inspired Buffalo Bill in Thomas Harris' Silence of the Lambs. John Douglas is often fictionalized, most notably as Jack Crawford in Harris' Hannibal Lecter books, so it was interesting to see his take on the villain his fictional team was up against. Moreover, the profiles he did on Ed Gein, Ted Bundy, and Gary Heidnik were downright chilling.
John Douglas' books are fantastic because they don't read like nonfiction; they pull the reader in. After, the reader is left feeling educated, informed, and entertained. And Douglas always seems to end on a note of hope.
April 14, 2023
This is the fifth or sixth book I’ve read by Douglas and Olshaker. They have a tendency to repeat a lot of cases throughout their books. I think this is only their third or fourth published book, so perhaps it’s the wrong one on which to make this complaint, but it’s true nonetheless. I’m still always fascinated by Douglas’ take on each case, and he clearly knows what he’s talking about. And there are plenty of new cases in each book, it’s just that same ones tend to pop up throughout many of them (i.e. Suzanne Collins).
I am not a fan of this narrator. Danny Campbell also narrated Journey Into Darkness, and perhaps another that I can’t remember, and I think he’s my least favourite of the books I’ve listened to from Douglas (aside from the gentleman who narrated “Inside the Mind of BTK”). His voice has this gravelly texture to it, and he doesn’t really change his tone or inflections when speaking from someone who is not John Douglas, which at first makes it difficult to tell if this is a personal opinion of Douglas, or if he’s quoting someone else.
All in all, the book itself was a fascinating look into the crimes of rape and stalking. And I found Douglas to be very compassionate towards the victims and their families, as well as surprisingly forward-thinking in terms of how the public and the government should approach these kinds of crimes. For example, he states how important it is to NEVER blame a victim of rape for the crime perpetrated against her. No matter what she was wearing, what she was doing, whether or not she was a sex worker, whether she initially wanted it then changed her mind, NOTHING excuses or mitigates the actions of the offender. He also uses the following example: “If someone had been the victim of burglary, you would never blame them for not being home all day every day to watch over their things, so why is it okay to blame victims of stalking or rape for not spending all of their time considering every action they should take to avoid a violence they should never have had to suffer in the first place?” That’s not verbatim, but it was something along those lines. He also frequently makes suggestions such as allowing more government funding for social work programs, as opposed to hiring more police. He doesn’t argue we should get rid of police completely by any means, but they are there to help when a problem occurs. They do not prevent the problem in the first place. These may seem like obvious things now, but for the late 90’s I think it’s pretty impressive.
Overall, a fascinating read, but I’m really not a fan of this narrator (forgive me Danny Campbell).
I am not a fan of this narrator. Danny Campbell also narrated Journey Into Darkness, and perhaps another that I can’t remember, and I think he’s my least favourite of the books I’ve listened to from Douglas (aside from the gentleman who narrated “Inside the Mind of BTK”). His voice has this gravelly texture to it, and he doesn’t really change his tone or inflections when speaking from someone who is not John Douglas, which at first makes it difficult to tell if this is a personal opinion of Douglas, or if he’s quoting someone else.
All in all, the book itself was a fascinating look into the crimes of rape and stalking. And I found Douglas to be very compassionate towards the victims and their families, as well as surprisingly forward-thinking in terms of how the public and the government should approach these kinds of crimes. For example, he states how important it is to NEVER blame a victim of rape for the crime perpetrated against her. No matter what she was wearing, what she was doing, whether or not she was a sex worker, whether she initially wanted it then changed her mind, NOTHING excuses or mitigates the actions of the offender. He also uses the following example: “If someone had been the victim of burglary, you would never blame them for not being home all day every day to watch over their things, so why is it okay to blame victims of stalking or rape for not spending all of their time considering every action they should take to avoid a violence they should never have had to suffer in the first place?” That’s not verbatim, but it was something along those lines. He also frequently makes suggestions such as allowing more government funding for social work programs, as opposed to hiring more police. He doesn’t argue we should get rid of police completely by any means, but they are there to help when a problem occurs. They do not prevent the problem in the first place. These may seem like obvious things now, but for the late 90’s I think it’s pretty impressive.
Overall, a fascinating read, but I’m really not a fan of this narrator (forgive me Danny Campbell).
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February 21, 2022Od miesiąca nie kupiłam żadnej książki. Miesiąca! To u mnie wyczyn wręcz nieprawdopodobny. Ten zastój zakupowy trwałby i dłużej gdyby nie świeżo wydane u nas kolejne true crime autorstwa legendarnego profilera FBI John Douglas. Jego „Mindhunter” zafascynował mnie totalnie. Czytałam z wypiekami na twarzy i ciarkami na plecach. Nie mogłam odłożyć, a jednocześnie po zmroku, nawet w domu pod ciepłą kołdrą, nie czułam się bezpiecznie czytając o kolejnych coraz bardziej przerażających i mrożących krew w żyłach sprawach seryjnych morderców oszałamiająco ciekawie przedstawianych przez Douglasa. I liczyłam na to - a nawet byłam pewna - że takich samych emocji dostarczy mi „Obsesja”. I z samego początku na to się zapowiadało. Niestety - dla mnie - bardzo szybko okazało się, że najnowsza pozycja najpopularniejszego profilera w całości poświęcona jest drapieżcom seksualnym. A na moje nieszczęście ten typ przestępstw kompletnie mnie nie interesuje. Szybko lektura zaczęła mnie męczyć, musiałam zmuszać się do czytania. I nie zrozumcie mnie źle - to absolutnie nie jest słaba książka. Jeśli ktoś interesuje się sprawami stalkerów, gwałcicieli i innych różnych dewiantów seksualnych to lektura „Obsesji” będzie dla niego pasjonującym przeżyciem. Douglas - jak w „Mindhuntzerze” wyczerpująco i z mnóstwem przeróżnych smaczków z dziedziny kryminalistyki opisuje sprawy i śledztwa, w których brał udział. I gdyby gwałcicieli zamienić na seryjnych morderców to i ja „Obsesji” dałabym prawdopodobnie maksymalną liczbę gwiazdek. Jednak jak już wspominałam - przestępstwa seksualne to zdecydowanie not my cup of tea, że się tak wyrażę. I owszem - mój błąd, że przed zakupem nie przeczytałam opisu, a ślepo rzuciłam się na książkę, bo wystarczyło mi nazwisko autora. Zostawiam bez oceny, bo i nie doczytałam do końca i gdybym miała ocenić subiektywnie, zgodnie ze swoimi uczuciami w trakcie czytania to moja końcowa opinia byłaby negatywna. A to byłoby wielce niesprawiedliwe i krzywdzące dla tej pozycji, bo obiektywnie jest ona napisana bardzo dobrze, zawiera od groma kryminalistycznych ciekawostek, a omawiane przypadki są szerzej nieznane. Potrafię docenić, bo „Obsesja” to bardzo solidne true crime - dla pasjonatów przestępstw seksualnych absolutny must read. Niestety ja do nich nie należę.
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November 11, 2019
After trying to not projectile vomit while reading I: The Creation Of A Serial Killer, I began wondering why I am so into true crime. That book felt like reading torture porn. I was almost disgusted with myself for finishing it.
Obsession was the perfect book to read after it. More than anything, this is a book about victims' rights. It doesn't focus on the deconstruction of cases. It instead discusses what PTSD is actually like for victims of violent crime. It discusses the stories of victims, as opposed to their killers. It gives you a clear impression as to what these people are actually taking from the Earth.
John Douglas and his writer do a great job of spelling out what life is actually like for these victims and when their rights aren't being served. It discusses what changes need to happen in the criminal justice system. More impressively, the book discusses extensively what precautions these people wished they had taken.
What fascinated me the most was John Douglas's deconstruction of violent and aggressive males. I am always astounded by his analysis of males and their pathologies. He is so damn clinical when he breaks them down, and his disgust drips through the pages. This book is something special because it seems more unhinged than his other books. It's barely there, but you can sense it. His dissections of violent individuals are clearly born of hatred. You really feel like you're reading a profiler pour out everything he knows about how these people tick.
I can understand why people don't like his books. He waxes poetic, he gets on long tirades, and he talks about what is actually important, as opposed to what sells books. He can be long-winded, but...I just can't stop reading these books. The guy is clearly open-minded enough to hear out sadistic killers and relate with them, yet he is so viciously hard on crime. You get the sense in this book that he wanted to make a difference. He knew he had everyone's ear after the sensationalism of his first couple of books, and now he wanted to use his pedestal.
Highly recommended for true crime fans. Don't expect anything salacious.
Obsession was the perfect book to read after it. More than anything, this is a book about victims' rights. It doesn't focus on the deconstruction of cases. It instead discusses what PTSD is actually like for victims of violent crime. It discusses the stories of victims, as opposed to their killers. It gives you a clear impression as to what these people are actually taking from the Earth.
John Douglas and his writer do a great job of spelling out what life is actually like for these victims and when their rights aren't being served. It discusses what changes need to happen in the criminal justice system. More impressively, the book discusses extensively what precautions these people wished they had taken.
What fascinated me the most was John Douglas's deconstruction of violent and aggressive males. I am always astounded by his analysis of males and their pathologies. He is so damn clinical when he breaks them down, and his disgust drips through the pages. This book is something special because it seems more unhinged than his other books. It's barely there, but you can sense it. His dissections of violent individuals are clearly born of hatred. You really feel like you're reading a profiler pour out everything he knows about how these people tick.
I can understand why people don't like his books. He waxes poetic, he gets on long tirades, and he talks about what is actually important, as opposed to what sells books. He can be long-winded, but...I just can't stop reading these books. The guy is clearly open-minded enough to hear out sadistic killers and relate with them, yet he is so viciously hard on crime. You get the sense in this book that he wanted to make a difference. He knew he had everyone's ear after the sensationalism of his first couple of books, and now he wanted to use his pedestal.
Highly recommended for true crime fans. Don't expect anything salacious.
March 14, 2025
This one pleasantly surprised me! I knew I was going to like it because I really like Douglas’s writing and the topics he touches on, but this one felt different in a good way.
First off, he actually gives advice and practical application of techniques to victims of crime. This was great and wasn’t something he really touched on in his other books. Coming from someone who is deeply knowledgeable about murder and violent crimes, it feels accurate and comforting that he payed so much attention to victims and potential victims. It was just so raw and truthful which I really loved. There were still lots of harrowing and horrifying true stories retold in here, but a lot of the focus was on victims and the strengths of people affected by crimes. It was nice for him to include quotes and statements from victims and families and you just knew he was supportive.
I enjoyed how he payed so much attention to stalking, which at the time of writing was a new crime. In modern times, we as a society know so much more about it, but it was revolutionary of him to speak about it and to give advice to victims. I always feel as though he isn’t just speaking about crimes that happened, he always goes one step further and gives you that practical and realistic application that makes the story so much better.
These type of books always make you think about things in a different light and this one definitely did. It made me think about the criminal justice system in Australia and America, and how victims of violent crimes, particularly murder, aren’t necessarily considered in the whole process. We tend to forget how many people are affected by a crime and the people left behind after a murder aren’t often paid attention to. We tend to focus on prisoner rights and the rights of the accused, when we need to pay attention and support victims. I love that Douglas’s books always start such needed conversations and always leave you questioning where you stand and whether your values and morals align with this.
Overall, this was such an excellent read and at this point I’ll be reading anything Douglas has written!
First off, he actually gives advice and practical application of techniques to victims of crime. This was great and wasn’t something he really touched on in his other books. Coming from someone who is deeply knowledgeable about murder and violent crimes, it feels accurate and comforting that he payed so much attention to victims and potential victims. It was just so raw and truthful which I really loved. There were still lots of harrowing and horrifying true stories retold in here, but a lot of the focus was on victims and the strengths of people affected by crimes. It was nice for him to include quotes and statements from victims and families and you just knew he was supportive.
I enjoyed how he payed so much attention to stalking, which at the time of writing was a new crime. In modern times, we as a society know so much more about it, but it was revolutionary of him to speak about it and to give advice to victims. I always feel as though he isn’t just speaking about crimes that happened, he always goes one step further and gives you that practical and realistic application that makes the story so much better.
These type of books always make you think about things in a different light and this one definitely did. It made me think about the criminal justice system in Australia and America, and how victims of violent crimes, particularly murder, aren’t necessarily considered in the whole process. We tend to forget how many people are affected by a crime and the people left behind after a murder aren’t often paid attention to. We tend to focus on prisoner rights and the rights of the accused, when we need to pay attention and support victims. I love that Douglas’s books always start such needed conversations and always leave you questioning where you stand and whether your values and morals align with this.
Overall, this was such an excellent read and at this point I’ll be reading anything Douglas has written!
June 20, 2014
This is the fourth John Douglas book I've read, and so far it is my favourite.
Obsession, although delving into the lives of some offenders, mainly focuses on the victims and victimology of stalking, rape and murder. It notes actions and personality types to look out for, as well as giving advice on when and how to report suspicious people or threatening behaviour.
The book details the lives of homicide survivors, more commonly known as the families of homicde victims, and the support workers that help them through their grieving process. It highlights the tragic aftermath of murder and the effects it has on the people left behind.
I highly recommend this book to anyome that has been the victim of, or known a victim of, stalking, abuse, rape, attacks or murder. John approaches these topics delecately, while appreciating the fact that nobody can appreciate the difficulties faced after these events other than the victims themselves. One thing I particularly admired was the way he tackled the subject of gender, acknowledging that the victims attacked by rapists or stalkers were chosen by the attacker for his own personal reasons, not because of the way they looked or dressed.
I would also encourage anyone interested in working the field of criminology or law enforcement to read Obsession, if only to get a better grasp on the victimology and the offenders themselves. As a victim of stalking myself, I found it incredibly reassuring to read that I had handled the situation perfectly, and having read this book I feel more secure in the knowledge that if I ever hear from him again, I am more capable of dealing with him safely.
Obsession, although delving into the lives of some offenders, mainly focuses on the victims and victimology of stalking, rape and murder. It notes actions and personality types to look out for, as well as giving advice on when and how to report suspicious people or threatening behaviour.
The book details the lives of homicide survivors, more commonly known as the families of homicde victims, and the support workers that help them through their grieving process. It highlights the tragic aftermath of murder and the effects it has on the people left behind.
I highly recommend this book to anyome that has been the victim of, or known a victim of, stalking, abuse, rape, attacks or murder. John approaches these topics delecately, while appreciating the fact that nobody can appreciate the difficulties faced after these events other than the victims themselves. One thing I particularly admired was the way he tackled the subject of gender, acknowledging that the victims attacked by rapists or stalkers were chosen by the attacker for his own personal reasons, not because of the way they looked or dressed.
I would also encourage anyone interested in working the field of criminology or law enforcement to read Obsession, if only to get a better grasp on the victimology and the offenders themselves. As a victim of stalking myself, I found it incredibly reassuring to read that I had handled the situation perfectly, and having read this book I feel more secure in the knowledge that if I ever hear from him again, I am more capable of dealing with him safely.
October 4, 2014
Author John E Douglas is obsessed with his topic. A self-proclaimed early profiler, Douglas writes to background and decipher at length the characteristics and modus operandi of rapists, serial killers, and most prominently, stalkers.
He does well. Sometimes, he offers too much information when expounding on the character flaws of demented beings in our society who prey upon the susceptibility of attractive conquests.
Ronnie Shelton, serial rapist of Cleveland, Joseph Thompson, South Aukland New Zealand rapist, New York's notorious "Preppie Murder", John Hinkley, who festered into our psyches to impress Jodie Foster through the assassination of President Reagan, Ed Gein, Gary Heidnick, and Ted Bundy are some of his heavily-examinded personalities.
The message is simple and one with which feel-good, prominent experts would not agree: Serial rapists/stalkers cannot be rehabilitated. Exterminate them or lock them up for the rest of their lives.
Get to authorities who know how to deal with these subhumans immediately, especially stalkers. Unfortunately, many police departments are not trained to deal with heinous crimes of subjugation. Hopefully, a 911 call can lead to a facility specializing in such behavior.
It remains a tragedy of today's society when someone like "Buffalo Bill" is glorified in the movie, "Silence of the Lambs."
He does well. Sometimes, he offers too much information when expounding on the character flaws of demented beings in our society who prey upon the susceptibility of attractive conquests.
Ronnie Shelton, serial rapist of Cleveland, Joseph Thompson, South Aukland New Zealand rapist, New York's notorious "Preppie Murder", John Hinkley, who festered into our psyches to impress Jodie Foster through the assassination of President Reagan, Ed Gein, Gary Heidnick, and Ted Bundy are some of his heavily-examinded personalities.
The message is simple and one with which feel-good, prominent experts would not agree: Serial rapists/stalkers cannot be rehabilitated. Exterminate them or lock them up for the rest of their lives.
Get to authorities who know how to deal with these subhumans immediately, especially stalkers. Unfortunately, many police departments are not trained to deal with heinous crimes of subjugation. Hopefully, a 911 call can lead to a facility specializing in such behavior.
It remains a tragedy of today's society when someone like "Buffalo Bill" is glorified in the movie, "Silence of the Lambs."
January 24, 2020
This book is by the FBI agent that the show 'Mindhunter' is based on—John Douglas.
In this particular book (he has others), he presents cases of serial rapists, and other crimes and criminals, and details how the perpetrators were able to gain access to their victims and explains how you can avoid becoming a victim (basically, how to be aware and keep yourself safe) although most of these tips are in the closing chapters. He also spends time talking about help for survivors and the families of victims, programs and the like, which, as someone who is not a victim, I admittedly skimmed through. JD brings up the issue of laws needing to be changed, and that are being changed, to try to keep criminals in jail longer, etc. Lots of info in here. Some really interesting and scary stuff.
The only thing that could have been scaled back on, and I'm sure he did it as an honor to the families who spoke to him, but as a reader I completely skimmed through, was these lengthy details and background about the families of the victims. This may make me come across as harsh, but it wasn't really imperative to, or completely in line with, the rest of the book.
Overall, definitely worth reading. And now I'm going to go lock my doors.
In this particular book (he has others), he presents cases of serial rapists, and other crimes and criminals, and details how the perpetrators were able to gain access to their victims and explains how you can avoid becoming a victim (basically, how to be aware and keep yourself safe) although most of these tips are in the closing chapters. He also spends time talking about help for survivors and the families of victims, programs and the like, which, as someone who is not a victim, I admittedly skimmed through. JD brings up the issue of laws needing to be changed, and that are being changed, to try to keep criminals in jail longer, etc. Lots of info in here. Some really interesting and scary stuff.
The only thing that could have been scaled back on, and I'm sure he did it as an honor to the families who spoke to him, but as a reader I completely skimmed through, was these lengthy details and background about the families of the victims. This may make me come across as harsh, but it wasn't really imperative to, or completely in line with, the rest of the book.
Overall, definitely worth reading. And now I'm going to go lock my doors.
June 22, 2013
This is the 5th book by John Douglas and Mark Olshaker I have read. I have a huge interest in True Crime, let alone profiling so when I stumbled upon Anatomy of Motive in a book store, I bought it right away. Heck, Douglas is one of the pioneers of the now established criminal profiling! I persistently continued my search for more of his/their works and ended up with 3 more (one was e-book. :l ). Personally, I think Obsession is particularly the most educational I have read because it talks mostly about rape and domestic violence, two of the the most common, yet underreported crimes. Reading this book will teach you how to have keen eyes on people around you and how to manage yourself when put in a critical situation. Douglas also included stalking which I'm pretty sure is now more common and probably more dangerous, given the continuously increasing hype over the social media compared to the 80's to the early 21st century. Even though the book is inevitably gruesome, it is also inspirational because of the families left behind by the victims, victims themselves and other people who strived for a better criminal justice system.
January 18, 2022
Magnificently written!
I am a huge fan of John Douglas books. His FBI profiling books and discussions about real cases intrigue and inspire me. Douglas writes well and brings the reader into the dark side of serial killers and torturers. It was an amazing book and I love how his mind works. I've personally used his books to do research for my own novels. Love his work and as long as he writes it, I will read it. is a definite recommendation by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews. This one, about obsession and the minds behind it, such as killers and stalkers, and the victims even tell how to fight back. It's a greatly terrifying group of true stories, taking a peek inside the mind of criminals. I look forward to reading many more stories by this author. Obsession: The FBI's Legendary Profiler Probes the Psyches of Killers, Rapists, and Stalkers and Their Victims and Tells How to Fight Back is highly recommended by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews. I look forward to reading many more stories by this author. This review was originally posted in 2014. It is has been updated, and is now being posted on my blog, Amy's Bookshelf Reviews in 2022.
I am a huge fan of John Douglas books. His FBI profiling books and discussions about real cases intrigue and inspire me. Douglas writes well and brings the reader into the dark side of serial killers and torturers. It was an amazing book and I love how his mind works. I've personally used his books to do research for my own novels. Love his work and as long as he writes it, I will read it. is a definite recommendation by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews. This one, about obsession and the minds behind it, such as killers and stalkers, and the victims even tell how to fight back. It's a greatly terrifying group of true stories, taking a peek inside the mind of criminals. I look forward to reading many more stories by this author. Obsession: The FBI's Legendary Profiler Probes the Psyches of Killers, Rapists, and Stalkers and Their Victims and Tells How to Fight Back is highly recommended by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews. I look forward to reading many more stories by this author. This review was originally posted in 2014. It is has been updated, and is now being posted on my blog, Amy's Bookshelf Reviews in 2022.
March 24, 2025
If there's anything that's become clear to me in my spiral into the works of JD it's that he's a fierce and unwavering advocate for survivors and victims. What I appreciated so much about this particular book was the time and attention given to advocacy, red flags, ways to support survivors in your life, resources if you're the survivor, when to seek intervention for children who may become offenders, etc. The cases were harrowing but the calls to action were powerful. I like how he is constantly calling out and on law enforcement to be better and do better. This book is relatively "old" and the advancements we've seen in terms of public safety would make JD 15 years ago proud, I think...even though we have a long way to go yet.
September 17, 2025
Absolutely outstanding. Very, very emotionally difficult read at times, but wow. Quite literally my only complaint is that throughout the entire book, Douglas only acknowledges maybe three times that men can be SA victims too. Of course women are the overwhelming majority of SA victims, but only barely acknowledging that it happens to men at all just perpetuates the difficulties boys and men have in speaking out and getting justice when they’re the ones being victimized. Other than that, this was just absolutely phenomenal. It’s not easy to get a five star rating from me, but this certainly deserves it.
March 3, 2018
A very informative book that every female at least should be aware of for the information it contains on rapists, stalkers, domestic abuse, etc. I think that the part that was the best information was to make the reader to come to the understanding that there needs to be more rights for victims. Discusses many different supports that are available to not only the victims but the friends and families of victims that go through the whole crisis also.
September 12, 2021
I just love John E. Douglas, his takes are always raw and real, while also remaining sensitive towards victims. Loved that rape culture rant. "Rape victims are the only victims of crime that are held responsible for the crimes committed towards them. Are rich people asking to get robbed just because they're rich? Did John Lennon ask to get shot on the street just because he was famous?"
Get 'em John.
Get 'em John.
September 1, 2012
not nearly as good as his other books. particularly tough to read long chapters with long paragraphs without breaks in between. he quotes several other authors whose books I've read and that was kind of fun. chapter on robert chambers was interesting since I remember that case when it was in the news.
January 23, 2016
This one focuses on understanding why killers, stalkers and rapists do what they do and makes suggestions on how these situations might be best handled. Apparently meant to play on the fears of a public beaten daily over the head with the idea that there is a criminal lurking behind every tree, but ultimately empowering and sensitive to the needs of crime victims.
March 21, 2023
What a difficult read about rapists, sexual predators, and their victims. John Douglas does a fine job of giving details in order to help others not fall victim to these perpetrators.
The forensics involved in these crimes are incredible. I'm so thankful for the detailed work of these investigators to bring justice to the victims and their families.
The forensics involved in these crimes are incredible. I'm so thankful for the detailed work of these investigators to bring justice to the victims and their families.
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